Nets working on building a gritty identity, but will it last?

The Nets’ fourth quarter Friday against the Knicks had almost everything Jordi Fernandez wanted after the coach challenged his team’s effort two nights before.

They didn’t quit after trailing by 18 to start the period. Their ball pressure forced the Knicks not named Jalen Brunson into bad shots. They created five turnovers, played physical and Dennis Schroder had another clutch basket for a late lead.

Brunson’s game-winning three and Schroder being blocked by Mikal Bridges at the buzzer left a bittersweet taste on a 124-122 loss. But it was another building block Fernandez added in a first season that’s started better than most expected.

“Losing hurts and it hurts to all of us,” he said. “But building an identity. Right there, what we showed, we showed our identity and nobody can take that away from us. Nobody. The fight that we just put tighter, that’s something that we have to appreciate.”

In 13 games, the Nets (5-8) don’t appear to be overmatched. They were always going to play hard despite the front office keeping one eye on the 2025 offseason.

They’ve only had two bad losses. They were to the Celtics and Magic, currently second and third in the Eastern Conference. Still, Fernandez’s club has exceeded early expectations for a team many thought would be at the bottom of the league.

At the same time, there are concerns this might be the Nets’ ceiling. They’ve lost four of their last five games and face the Knicks again Sunday. For all the positive talk, the Nets are in a slow slide that might continue.

They’re 10th in offensive rating but 24th in defensive rating. They’ve defended the three-point line well, holding all but three opponents under 40% in games. However, they're tied for third worst in opponent field goal percentage (48.5%).

The Nets are also third-worst in opponent field goal shooting at the rim (70.2%). So while they’ve been aggressive on defense, they haven’t been a lockdown unit.

Their grit on offense belies the lack of a high-end scorer who can consistently win games like Brunson or Jayson Tatum or Donovan Mitchell. Schroder and Cam Thomas have delivered clutch performances so far, with Thomas’ late three-pointer helping the Nets defeat the Pelicans last Monday.

But the Nets have mostly won with balance instead of a heliocentric star. There’s limits to that, and of course, when vets like Schroder and Cam Johnson play well, it only feeds into speculation on their futures in potential trade talks.

Thomas scored 43 points Friday yet the Nets are 0-2 in his highest scoring games this season and 2-3 when he scores at least 30. Some of that isn’t Thomas’ fault this season but it’s followed a trend since his second season where his big nights are wasted in defeat.

The next two weeks will prove if this recent stretch is a sign of things to come. Starting Sunday, the Nets face the Knicks, Hornets, start a four-game road trip at the 76ers, Kings, Golden State and the Suns before hosting two games against the Magic.

Should the Nets survive that and be near .500, they’re in good shape. If not, then it’s fair for fans to ask if the early predictions were right.

Either way, the standings show the Nets better off than teams below them. The Raptors are floundering. The Bucks, who the Nets beat last month, have been disjointed. The 76ers, at 2-10, might be the NBA’s biggest disappointment and the return of Joel Embiid, who’s not playing back-to-backs, might not be enough to save them.

The Nets have stayed above water so far and should be commended. The next two weeks will show if they can stay there despite their flaws or start sinking because of them.

Thomas gets celebrity support

Thomas has often said he doesn’t get motivated by certain matchups or certain venues. But a special courtside guest had him star struck Friday.

Future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady sat courtside. When shown on the Jumbotron, he was booed by fans eager to remind him how the Giants beat the Patriots twice in the Super Bowl.

That didn’t matter to Thomas.

“I was a big Tom Brady fan growing up,” Thomas said. “I don't usually get like that with people, but that was kind of dope though, for sure. He gave me a little look when I hit a three, too. So that really was a good moment for me, for sure.”

Watford likely available

Trendon Watford was not on the Nets' injury report ahead of Sunday's rematch with the Knicks. It means he's in line to make his season debut after being sidelined since preseason with a strained left hamstring."

By Evan Barnes

evan.barnes@newsday.comevan_b

Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.